[istayhome]

basueraeuropea,

I think I'm going to look for a new psych doctor AGAIN but this whole thing is just so annoying and obnoxious. Not to mention that a lot of dr's really are cracking down on benzo's and especially with new patients taking such a high dosage. But it's worked for me for years! So you'd think they would listen to me and understand that I just want to remain on what has been effective for me. I don't know but the whole thing is just so irritating and frustrating that it only ADDS to my anxiety.

Yeah, find a different psychiatrist, this guy is a turd sandwich. What country are you in? I have been on 30 mg valium/day and 5 mg xanax/day for over 3 years now. It has and continues to work great for me. Anyways, I have been through a handful of psychiatrists and none have simply decided to take me off of or drastically change the BZD's that I take. Well one psychiatrist did try to and he told me a bunch of lies, saying that xanax and valium don't actually do anything. So he switched me to a laughably low dose of Ativan even though I told him I had taken it before and found it ineffective. So in short only one psychiatrist out of five simply insisted a certain medical treatment on me. I stopped seeing him and found a different p-doc.

I have two thoughts about your situation though. Have you tried equivalent doses of benzos besides xanax? I am a believer in using a longer lasting BZD Such as Klonopin or Valium if you are using a benzo long-term for GAD. Alprazolam does have the problem of interdose withdrawals. I guess it depends on how well you like the 4mg xanax / day.

Also. your current situation. If you have been stable for with your current medication(s) and are happy with them, then for god's sake just do not take the Depakote.

My advice is to just find a different p-doc, give them the records of your former p-doc (the one who prescribed you the drugs that worked well for you) . Explain that these medications have been working well for you, etc. Then the new p-doc should just continue you on the medication that works.

As for your parents, you're 25 and what they think really doesn't matter. I have many family members who don't believe in mental illness at all. They think, "it is all in my head," and give me crap about taking any medications, even as benign as SSRI's back when I took them. There really is no changing anyone's beliefs. Hopefully they will love you enough to support you.

Also realize that you are addicted, chemically dependent on xanax/Benzodiazapines. It's not bad but you have been taking the drug consistently for 5 years so it is just a fact. That increased anxiety is withdrawals, don't fool yourself. You are not simply having more anxiety than usual. you are taking half of the benzos that you've been on for years and you are experiencing withdrawals which manifest as terrible, unbelievably bad anxiety.

Personally, If I were in your shoes, I would take whatever amount of that Klonopin I needed per day while I waited for an appointment with a different psychiatrist. If i had to call in prescriptions early I would and if your psychiatrist has anything to say about it then tell him/her that you are taking as much as you need to be able to function (which you are) Your doctor will say something disapproving but will ok your refill. It would be criminal for a doctor to simply cut you off of BZD's due to the potentially lethal withdrawals.

Best of luck to you.

 

[istayhome]

For anxiety medication, it's just a matter of what works best for you. It sounds like you've taken a lot of SSRI's and Remeron and they haven't worked for you. So talk to your psychiatrist and tell him/her that you would like to try a different class of medication. Lyrica (pregabalin) seems like a popular choice right now. Or listen and talk to your doctor about his suggestions. But you know SSRI's don't work for you so make it clear to your doctor that you want to try a different class of medicine so they don't keep prescribing you drugs that won't work.

 

[istayhome]

trust me my doc told me many times that its just a matter of what works for me. and i told him that ssri wasnt working great for me, but its been five years and i tried a lot of meds...maybe 5-6.

And its like he tries random medication and say well, lets see in a couple of months if this one works, and like a i said, its been five years that im doing this and im starting to be hopeless, like ill never find a good medication.

I've never seen a psychiatrist tho, just my regular doctor but last time he told me he doesnt know what to give me,to try, anymore so he put me on im a waiting list to see a psychiatrist but it can take up to 1 year until i get an appointment... im in canada, health care is free but real slow.

damn, that sucks unbelievably. Can you afford to see a private psychiatrist? Mental health is more valuable than anything else, I think anyways.

Obviously your doctor doesn't know enough to help you. But I spent a long time with a psychiatrist who kept just changing me from one ssri to the next as they all failed. Eventually I found a new Psychiatrist and told them right away, "I've been on every SSRI and I am only willing to see you if you will offer alternative treatments." Within a month I was onto medications and began getting better.

Anyways I really hope that you get help soon.